Botanical/commercial classification: Echinacea hybrida/Echinacea Plant.
Varietal denomination: cv. xe2x80x98Art""s Pridexe2x80x99.
The invention relates to a new and distinct Echinacea plant that was the product of a controlled breeding program that was conducted at the Chicago Botanic Garden located at Glencoe, Ill., U.S.A.
The female parent (i.e., seed parent) was Echinacea purpurea xe2x80x98Albaxe2x80x99 (non-patented in the United States), and the male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was an unnamed seedling of Echinacea paradoxa (non-patented in the United States). The xe2x80x98Albaxe2x80x99 female parent was produced by the crossing of two seed grown plants of Echinacea purpurea xe2x80x98White Swanxe2x80x99 (non-patented in the United States). The parentage of the new cultivar can be summarized as follows:
Echinacea purpurea xe2x80x98Albaxe2x80x99xc3x97Echinacea paradoxa (Unnamed Seedling). 
The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar.
It was found that the new Echinacea cultivar of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:
(a) forms attractive blossoms having orange-colored ray florets,
(b) displays a blossom fragrance of sweet orange-spiced tea, and
(c) forms attractive semi-glossy green foliage that contrasts nicely with the blossom coloration.
The new cultivar can be readily distinguished from its parental plants by the distinctive orange coloration of the ray florets and the distinctive fragrance of the blossoms. Plants of the paradoxa species are known to display yellow ray florets, a different blossom fragrance, and a different growth habit.
The new cultivar is well suited for growing as attractive colorful ornamentation in gardens and in the landscape.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tissue culture was first conducted at Glencoe, Ill., U.S.A. during 2002. Root cuttings and division also has been used to asexually propagate the new cultivar at the some location. The asexual reproduction has demonstrated that the unique combination of characteristics of the new cultivar is firmly fixed and is well retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. Accordingly, the new cultivar asexually reproduces true to type. When cuttings are utilized to reproduce the new cultivar, a well rooted plant commonly is formed in approximately 10 to 12 weeks.
The new cultivar has been named xe2x80x98Art""s Pridexe2x80x99.